#genderbias

This week’s episode dives into why well-meaning male allies might not speak up even when they know they should. The reason surprised me, and it might surprise you too. But what probably won’t surprise you is that it is tied to the “man box.”

This week’s episode looks at the harm both men and women suffer from traditional definitions of masculinity – that is, the “man box” – and the ways both men and women would benefit from redefining masculinity. Times have changed, can our collective expectations of masculinity change as well? It’s not clear that seismic change will happen any time soon, but younger generations are providing hope for incremental change, that eventually will provide men with access to a fuller version of masculinity.

Coming off the winter break and a lot of gender equality soul searching, this season will approach gender bias from a different direction — exploring the “man box” and how it impacts us all. While many definitions and terms abound, the man box generally refers to the societal expectations we place on men — to be “men” — that can restrain their full expression of themselves and constrain their ability to speak up or act out against gender bias.

I hope you’ll join me on this journey as I learn about the man box and share what I learn, for the benefit of men and women. I’m not sure where this will lead, but at a minimum, I hope to bring awareness to how the man box affects us all and perhaps offer some suggestions of how we might release ourselves from its grip, to the benefit of us all.

What’s required to come back from a #MeToo incident? Time alone is not enough. This episode explores what a path to redemption might look like — it might include some atonement that shows humility and a desire to change. This episode also tackles some societal changes we might need to make to reduce the likelihood of #MeToo moments in the future. Listen in and see what you think, then let me know what changes you would suggest by emailing me at unravelingpink@gmail.com.